10 Current Best High School Programs

Stringing together one successful high school season is a time-consuming task that requires an enormous amount of effort and dedication from players and coaches alike. The ability to build a strong program that is among the best in the state over the course of multiple seasons requires more than just the skill and effort as sustained success in anything always contains some intangible that others cannot match. Few programs have been able to attain this sustained success. Below you will find the 10 CURRENT best high school volleyball programs and the belief as to why they are. Current, in regards to this article, is defined as recent history and probability of maintaining the success in the future.

1. North Branch- Finally breaking through for a state championship in 2009, North Branch has been a staple as a Class B state title contender. Often winning more matches than any team in the state, Jim Fish has built North Branch into a program whose success is not determined by the physical talents of the individuals alone but by the buy in and commitment of the athletes to the program. Since 2012 North Branch has won the title or been beaten out by the state champion. North Branch improves over the course of every season something few programs do. Fish has been able to develop a mindset in his athletes that allows them to play their best in the biggest moments as a definitive unit.

2. Novi- The past four years have been a tsunami of success for the Novi program as they have claimed the last 3 Class A state titles and a runner-up finish in 2014. The question moving forward will be how Jen Cottrill will replace her departing senior class, one of the most successful to put on a high school volleyball uniform in Michigan. The departure of this senior class creates a huge question mark as it is unknown if they can win without the loaded talent they had the past four seasons. Cottrill though has shown she knows how to put together successful seasons and face adversity during those seasons so for now Novi remains among the state’s best programs.

3. Bronson- Similar to many on this list, Bronson, has a long-time coach whose players put everything they have on the line to win. The Bronson girls expect to win as Jean Laclair has made them believe they deserve to do so. Paired with a tough schedule during the season they are never surprised by an opponent’s level of play. Currently on a dominating 3-peat state championship run in Class C, Bronson should continue to be the top of the class with Keona Salesman still having two years of high school volleyball left to play. Bronson’s fan base should have plenty to cheer about as their program is far from ending their run of success.

4. Notre Dame Prep- When your coach’s name dons your school’s weight room you can probably assume your team has done some winning, and Prep has done their fair share of winning under Betty Wroubel. Winning the 2007 state championship as underdogs launched this program into a run of success few programs have matched. The program has won 2 more titles since 2007 and has gone on long postseason runs. ND Prep has been blessed with multiple Division 1 athletes and combined with the attention to detail that Betty demands have put teams on the court that are among the best the state has seen. Prep will enter the 2018 season as the favorite to win another state title as their loaded junior class returns and Betty is showing no signs of slowing down.

5. Lakewood- A program that has been relevant on the state scene since its first runner-up finish in 1995 has had its best run of success the last 6 years. Claiming the state title in 2012, Lakewood has played in 4 of the last 6 state finals. Kellie Rowland built her program around the belief that the only way to win is to outwork everyone else, something her athletes truly believe. Lakewood has not sent an athlete to play Division 1 volleyball since 2004 but the program has been successful because of the work ethic and passion the athletes possess. Lakewood has more dynamic athletes coming through its pipeline than ever, the question though is will the next coach be able to maintain the culture that Kellie has created? And is Kellie truly done coaching her beloved Lakewood Volleyball team?

6. Rockford- Rockford has created a name for themselves since winning the 2011 Class A title and have maintained it by going on multiple long post season runs. Over the last couple seasons Rockford has had some of the most impressive regular seasons and they seem to go on runs of wins during the most challenging part of their schedule. Kelly Delacher’s teams run a system few other high school programs can match. Delacher has trained his kids to be able to set the middle often and effectively thus putting tremendous amounts of pressure on opponents’ defense. Rockford’s athletic cupboard also seems to refill every year and it should not be running out any time soon, couple this with Delacher’s winning experience and the program should remain strong for years to come.

7. Battle Creek St. Phil- St. Phil has more state championships than any other program in the state and in 2014 completed a run of 9 straight. Vicky Groat has continued to cultivate the culture of success that her mother, Sheila Guerra, built at St. Phil. While the Tigers have not been at the final four the past two seasons their time as a dominant program in Class D is far from being completed. Vicky will no doubt continue to work to get St. Phil back to the top in Class D and once again reset the expectations of winning state titles.

8. Temperance Bedford- When you have the all-time winningest high school coach in the country on your sideline it is hard not to be among the state’s best programs. While Bedford has not won a title since 2005, they are a mainstay in the final week of the season and will be as long as Jodi Manore leads the program. Manore has instilled into her program a culture that relies on playing hard and finding ways to score against opponents’ weaknesses. While Bedford is not blessed with the same physicality and talent that Manore’s teams in the late 90s and early 2000s possessed the program has not altered their expectations or standards of play, allowing them to remain among the best in the state.

9. Fruitport-Playing second fiddle to Marysville through the late 90s and early 2000s, Fruitport finally broke through for a title in 2005 and has claimed two more since. This program has always had a strong family culture and a fan base who will travel anywhere to support them in the biggest matches. Returning to the final four in 2017, Nicole Bayle will make sure that her athletes set this expectation for the next set of Fruitport volleyball players. Bayle has done as good a job as anyone getting the best out of the athletes she has. If she is able to continue maximizing her athletes’ potential Fruitport will remain one of the best in Class B.

10. Bloomfield Hills Marian- Marian blitzed the competition in 2009 and 2010 on their way to convincing back to back state titles. Those teams were loaded with so many Division 1 athletes some were on the sidelines for the titles. While Marian has not since put together a team as strong as those two years, they have continued to make deep postseason runs and return to the finals twice. The most impressive part is that they have survived multiple coaching changes during this time. Marian should continue to be a force in the high school volleyball world and possibly claim another state title.

Honorable Mention

Monroe St. Mary’s Catholic Central– SMCC has been among the best teams in Class C for many years and put together a few years where they could have competed with any team in the state regardless of class. With 3 titles and 2 runner-up finishes since 2010 SMCC is always a threat to take home the crown. The question remains what this team can do without Diane Tuller at the helm, while the program has put together successful seasons the past two years they have struggled to play their best in the postseason. Was Tuller the glue for this program or will they be able to find another title run in the near future?

Leland- A program that has no qualms about developing their own system in order to maximize their athletes’ abilities, Leland was able to end the run of St. Phil and will continue to put themselves in a position to take home Class D titles. Laurie Glass, has gotten All State performances out of athletes ranging from an Olympian to girls who would never even be considered to make the team at other schools. This ability to maximize the potential of her athletes has allowed Leland to be a mainstay in the conversation of Class D title contenders.